His Diamond
by Raeni12345
Summary: He was the Ten of Clubs, right-hand to the Queen, and one of the most feared Cards in the Casino. She was a Four of Diamonds, one of the newest croupiers on the game room floor.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So, here I go again, starting another story when I have too many stories on the go as it is. But this one will not leave me alone, and it became either give in and write it, or be stuck fighting against it while trying to write my other stories.**

… **obeying the muse won.**

**The character of the Ten of Clubs intrigued me from the first time I watched Alice. He shows up in quite a few of my tales, but I have never quite had a back story for him.**

**So here it is. Enjoy. (And I am working on new chapters for my other three as well... they will be up soon).**

…

She was pretty, but that was hardly unusual. The casino was populated by young and pretty Diamonds. It was a part of the whole Happy Hearts Casino experience, although the oysters weren't awake enough to properly appreciate it. And she was dressed identically to all the other croupiers – short white Diamond-motif dress, red boots, heavy makeup, and the typical black-banged wig and red-sequined cap, intended to make them all blend into each other. Undistinguished but pretty masses. She was a Four, well below his station, even below the station of many of the Diamonds working the casino floor.

But there was something different about her, and he noticed her right away.

When he walked into a room, the reaction was predictable. Conversations halted, mid-sentence, and were replaced by the irritating buzz of whispers. Heads went down, eyes looked anywhere but at him. And he would release a sigh of frustration, but otherwise pretend that reactions to his presence didn't bother him.

It was a lonely existence, a downside to his high rank and close proximity to the Queen. In the courts, he was treated well enough. He had the trust and the respect of the king. And the queen, although she frequently berated him or threatened to behead him, always ensured that his needs were taken care of. It was a "privileged" life. But outside of the courts, he was virtually a pariah. People avoided him whenever possible. He was the Ten of Clubs, one of the most feared Cards in the casino.

At least, feared by most.

What drew him to the Four of Diamonds, what caused him to notice her that day, was her eyes. Not because they were a clear, jewel-toned green, though he found that rather entrancing, but rather because they made contact with his. She was looking at him, straight at him. And instead of fear, he saw warmth, and something akin to mild curiosity.

The contact didn't last long. Another croupier, a Six, shot an anxious glance in his direction, before firmly grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her away, whispering fiercely, undoubtedly chastising her for her boldness.

She glanced back at him for a second, and he thought he saw a hint of a smile on her lips, but he shook his head, certain that he had been imagining it. Nobody smiled at him.

Even so, he found himself thinking about that pretty Four of Diamonds for the rest of the day.

…

He asked his cousin, the Nine of Clubs, who had given him a strange look before agreeing to find out for him. Nine had sent a Five of Clubs to ask the Ace of Spades who oversaw the casino floor. He, in turn had asked an Ace of Diamonds. Who the Ace of Diamonds asked was unknown. It was a network, each asking another until it could not be easily found out who had begun the inquiry. But he had gotten his answer.

Her name was Kate. She was one of the newest Diamond recruits to the casino.

And she _had_ smiled at him.

The last piece of information had not trickled back through the network. It had merely happened again. And had ultimately been the catalyst to him asking Nine in the first place.

It had been a week since his first encounter, and he had all but forgotten about the pretty Four of Diamonds. The Queen had been in a foul mood all week, and it had taken everything that the King, the courtiers and Ten could conjure up to keep her from ordering off everyone's head. He was tired, he was anxious, and he was on another of the Queen's endless errands.

He had nearly crashed into her before he had seen her, walking from her latest shift on the game floor, carrying a tray of casino chips. That, again, was a triviality that the Queen insisted on, to make the Happy Hearts Casino feel more genuine. Or genuine in her estimation.

She hadn't been watching where she was going either, but had noticed him just in time to jump to the side swiftly, nearly upsetting her tray. He barely turned, barely acknowledged her as he rushed by, but something caused him to glance back.

She was pressed up against the wall, looking startled, even a tad apprehensive. But when her clear green eyes willingly met his, and softened, he recognized her. It was the same Four of Diamonds.

He stared at her, for a long moment unable or unwilling to break the gaze. He was vaguely aware of his heart pounding, as he realized just how easy it would be to lose himself in those eyes.

She, eventually, was the one to break the gaze. Her eyes flitted downward, and her cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink, visible even under the heavy makeup she had to wear. Then her eyes met his, one more time, and her lips curled upwards in a sweet smile.

An undeniable smile. There was no attributing it to imagination this time.

He was too shocked to even return the smile, or to say anything. And after a brief moment, she straightened her tray and slipped around him, continuing up the hallway and not looking back. If she had, she would have seen the Ten of Clubs staring after her, a look of awe on his face, until she rounded the corner and was out of sight.

Ten exhaled slowly, surprised to find that he had been holding his breath. For a long moment he stood there in the hall, feeling bemused and muddled, before he remembered that he was on an errand for the queen, and she did not like to be kept waiting.

He couldn't comprehend what it was about that Diamond that caused him to react this way, but he knew he had to see her again.

…

He caught sight of her nearly every day now. He knew it was, in part, because he was running more "errands" where he might catch sight of her, but a part of him wanted to believe that she was perhaps seeking him out a little as well. Whether it was passing in a hallway at the end of her shift on the game floor, or across a crowded common room, somehow their eyes always met. If there was no one about, he was usually rewarded with one of her sweet smiles. In a crowd she was, of necessity, far more discreet. She would still meet his eyes, but instead of a smile, she would ever so subtly quirk the corner of her mouth before she looked away.

And the effect on him was always the same. He would stand there, stunned, his heart pounding, completely mesmerized by those beautiful green eyes until she looked away or was gone. And he would look forward to the next time he saw her.

...

She wasn't watching where she was going. Carrying her tray of chips, she was looking down and seemed distracted. At first Ten was unsure if it was the right Diamond. He could see that she was a Four, but without a clear look at her face, without seeing her eyes, she still looked like any other croupier.

He strode down the hallway toward her, placing himself in a collision course with the Diamond, and at the last minute she looked up with a gasp and skidded to a halt.

It was definitely her. Her bright green eyes met his dark ones, as they always did, but this time her gaze wavered, and she looked uncertain.

Ten's heart lurched in his chest. He wasn't sure why her guard was up, what had caused the change, but he feared losing the connection to the only person who would look him in the eye, the Four of Diamonds that he was starting to...

He couldn't say it, couldn't let himself believe it. He had never even talked to her, had never heard her voice. All they had shared was the eye contact. The eye contact and her beautiful smiles. But the emotion that was growing in his chest was undeniable.

She must have seen something in his eyes, fear of loss or even pain, because her eyes softened, became less guarded, and she managed a small smile for him.

Ten released the breath he once again didn't realize he had been holding.

And he smiled back.

Her reaction only made his smile broader. She ducked her head and her cheeks went pink, and the small smile grew as she looked back at him, her green eyes sparkling. And he realized, for all the times she had given him her smile, he had never given one in return.

He might have worked up the courage to say something to her, if at that moment a group of Spades hadn't rounded the corner, heading in their direction.

His Diamond immediately ducked her head again, and slipped past him, but as he watched her go, she glanced back over her shoulder, and quirked the corner of her mouth.

…

**AN: What do you think? Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: And since I had two chapters written, you don't even have to wait for this one. Cheers!**

...

The queen scowled as she flounced back toward her throne. Something wasn't quite right. Her right-hand servant, the Ten of Clubs; something was... different. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but it was unsettling.

He had tended to her every need, meticulously as always He had acted with his usual respect and sense of duty. He had even looked the same – well groomed, strong posture, pleasant but neutral expression.

But no, there was something different. He seemed...

That was just it. She could feel the difference, but she couldn't quite tell what it was, nor what was causing it. But she was determined to find out.

"Number Nine," she barked.

The nervous-looking Club flinched as he turned toward her with a bow. "Yes, my queen?"

"Send for Agent White."

...

It had been a month since the first time he had seen those bright green eyes. A month since a low-ranked Diamond who worked the game room floor had changed Ten's life.

For she had, he realized, in fact changed it. On the days he saw her, on the days he saw that smile, there was a buoyancy that seemed to accompany him throughout the rest of the day. He felt profoundly disappointed on the days that their paths did not cross, but all it took was the memory of her beautiful green eyes to make his heart beat a little faster. Even on his worst days – the days when the queen was mired in fury and ordering off people's heads, or the days when people's fear and avoidance started to wear on him, seeing her could turn it around.

But for all of that, they had never spoken. He had never even heard her voice. The looks, the smiles. They were dangerous enough without conversation.

But tonight, he was determined to find her, to talk to her. Tonight was different.

It was a Tea Party. It meant that another new tea was about to come on the market. The queen always celebrated such a breakthrough with an extravagant party. Attendance by all courtiers and cards was mandatory.

Almost everyone in the Casino used Tea. Some needed it, their regular fix, but most simply used it socially and well-diluted. But the tea party was a different kettle of onions. It was a night when excess was expected and acceptable. Tea would flow freely and in large quantities all through the night. The celebrated emotion tonight was Exhilaration, which meant that the party would likely be a boisterous one, but Lust and Desire, along with Bliss and Excitement were popular staples that appeared at most of the queen's soirees, and would likely be widely partaken as well.

Ten enjoyed the Tea Parties, not so much because of the feel-good teas, but rather that social lines seemed to dissolve once the teas started to take effect. For one night, he was accepted, just another reveler. For one night, he was not the greatly-feared Ten of Clubs. Everyone partied with everyone and few left the tea parties alone.

She recognized him before he recognized her. Even without his courtly robes, which he had switched out for a simpler black on black suit, emblazoned with a Ten of Clubs, he still looked much the same as always. She, on the other hand, without her croupier wig and heavy makeup, was almost unrecognizable. She wore a tight-fitting, short Diamond-motif dress in shades of silver and red. Her hair, which hung freely in loose waves down her back, was a golden light brown. Her face, the heavy croupier makeup replaced by lighter natural tones, looked almost angelic.

Had it not been for the brilliant green eyes that sought his dark ones out, she might have walked right by without him realizing who it was. Instead, she paused and swiped two drinks from a passing server's tray, and approached, her eyes sparkling. And Ten found that he was holding his breath again. That, and gaping like a codfish.

She giggled slightly as she neared him, and that sweet flush of pink entered her cheeks again. She had probably had some tea already – she was definitely being far bolder then before. She extended a hand, holding out a fluted glass to him. "Drink?" Her voice was soft and sweet, and he loved the sound of it instantly. It matched the warmth in her eyes and the sweetness in her smile.

It took Ten a long moment before he recovered enough to take the glass from her, his fingers grazing hers slightly as he did so. Her skin felt soft, and his fingertips tingled at the sensation, as though a minor electric current had flowed through them. He wondered how it would feel to truly touch her skin, to run his hands over her body, over the expanses of creamy skin.

He needed to stop. Stop thinking like that before he truly embarrassed himself. His trousers were already feeling tight, without even having had a drop of Lust or Desire. How did this girl have such an effect on him?

She was still gazing at him, he was still staring at her. But now she was looking a little self-conscious. "Are you alright?" she finally ventured.

Ten nodded, with great effort finally pulling himself together. "I'm fine," he managed. "You..." He swallowed hard. He had never had so much trouble talking to someone in his life.

She laughed gently, and procured a small vial from somewhere in her dress. "Need some of this?"

Ten mutely accepted the bottle she pushed into his hand, before glancing at the yellow liquid. The bottle was unlabeled, but he knew well enough what it was. "Courage?" His voice was barely a whisper.

"Might help," she whispered back, and winked.

He placed his glass down on a small table and undid the cap. His eyes fixed on his Diamond, he tipped the bottle to his lips. It tasted like orange, but with an almost spicy aftertaste. And as he swallowed it down, the warmth of it spread through his body, and he felt his heart-rate finally slow and he breathed more freely.

"Better?" There was that beautiful smile again.

Ten nodded. "Thank you, Kate."

The reaction was instant. Her eyes widened and she took a step back, uncertainty for a moment replacing the flirtation in her eyes. "You know my name," she said finally. "You're the one who was asking about me."

Ten cursed inwardly, but nodded. "I wanted to know." His eyes sought hers, full of his own emotion.

After a long moment, her eyes brightened again. "So you know my name. What's yours?"

He opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment a cluster of Diamonds descended on their location, all chattering and laughing.

The Six of Diamonds saw Kate, and in a split second had linked arms with her. "Come dance with us!" she demanded, dragging the Four of Diamonds away from Ten. Kate shot an apologetic glance back at him as she was pulled away, before disappearing into the crowd.

Ten sighed and leaned against the wall, picking up his abandoned glass. He swilled the purplish liquid around for a moment, before raising the glass to his lips.

…

Over an hour had passed before Kate found him again. By then the effects of Courage were gone, but moderately high on Exhilaration and Bliss, Ten found that his nerves, instead of overwhelming him, just added an exciting flutter of electricity in his chest.

He grabbed her by the arm, and the electricity seemed to spread from his chest, down through his arm to the palm of his hand, and he reveled in the feel of the contact.

He saw another cluster of Diamonds heading in their direction and knew he had to act fast. "My name is Cruz," he told her, and was rewarded by Kate's brilliant smile.

"Cruz." She smiled. "I like it."

The electricity in his chest flared at the sound of his name coming from her mouth, causing his heart to start pounding again. But the Diamonds were almost upon them. He knew they were going to pull Kate away again.

She had spotted them too. She quickly leaned forward and whispered, barely audibly. "Meet me on the roof, west corner, in an hour." Then she gave him a peck on the cheek and swirled away to join her friends.

Ten swiped another drink from a passing server, his heart nearly bursting out of his chest, his body practically quivering. He raised the glass almost to his lips, before changing his mind and placing it down on a table.

He didn't need any more Exhilaration. He was pretty certain he was feeling the real thing.

…

**Please review. Reviews make me very happy!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I swear this story is writing itself. If only I had this easy of a time with all my tales. :) Please review and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is also welcome (always looking to improve). **

**Enjoy!**

...

She was late.

Ten had abandoned the party in favor of the roof, almost immediately after her friends had whisked Kate off again. It was a cool and clear night, and bright moonlight bathed the roof. The sky above was a canopy of more stars then he could count. It was truly beautiful, and it would have been relaxing, even soothing were it not for the Exhilaration still running through his veins, combined with the anticipation of time spent alone with Kate.

But the roof was quiet, too quiet, leaving Ten alone with only his thoughts for company. And when an hour passed, with no sign of Kate, his thoughts turned to worry and doubt.

He had seen the way the Six of Diamonds watched him, concerned for her friend. He had no doubt that Kate had been warned repeatedly to avoid contact with him. Warned of what could happen to her if she was _noticed._ What if Kate had been convinced not to come?

Or what if she didn't want to come? What if his inability to articulate around her had caused her to lose interest?

He shook his head, denying his own negativity. She had been the one to suggest the roof. And his cheek still tingled from where she had kissed him. She had likely just lost track of time, or was having a hard time shaking the other Diamonds. He sighed and leaned against a wall, turning his face toward the starry sky. He would wait the whole night if he had to.

But he didn't have to wait long. She was twenty minutes late, though it had felt much longer, but he spotted her, making her way across the rooftop toward him.

Her face was flushed from dancing, and the moonlight reflected off the thin sheen of sweat on her skin, making her almost glow. She was barefoot, and holding her shoes in her hand as she made her way toward him.

She winced and shot Ten an apologetic look as she approached and leaned up against the wall beside him. She said nothing, just turned her face toward the stars for a moment, before letting her eyes drift back to his face. As soon as their eyes met, she smiled sweetly at him, before turning her eyes back to the sky. Ten just stared at her for a long moment, drinking in the beauty of his Diamond against the backdrop of a starry sky. It was breathtaking.

He was holding his breath again. He realized it, and slowly exhaled, before finally breaking the silence.

"I thought you weren't going to come."

Kate turned back to him immediately, a quizzical look on her face. "Why wouldn't I come?" she asked, wrinkling her brow slightly.

Because I'm the Ten of Clubs, his mind answered ruefully, but outwardly he just shrugged and sighed slightly. He watched her eyes change, soften, grow concerned, and he quickly broke contact and looked up at the sky once again. He knew his eyes were betraying his feelings. No matter how much he could school his face, he had never been good at keeping his emotions out of his eyes. But he didn't want to mar the night with his self-pity or pain.

The touch of a gentle hand on his arm sent shivers through his body, and he looked down at Kate again. She was standing so close now, and watching him intently. His heart started to pound hard in his chest and he took a small, ragged breath.

Then her lips were on his, soft and gentle, inviting. He was so stunned that for a moment, all he did was stand there, trembling. But then, as she didn't pull away, he felt his lips starting to respond, to kiss her back. His hands trembled at his side for just a moment, before he reached up wrapped them around her waist. She responded, her own hands tracing up his arms to his shoulders, to his neck, her fingers burying themselves in his hair as she pulled him in tighter and deepened the kiss.

They pulled apart when they both needed air, but Ten kept his arms around her. Kate's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were shining, and Ten found himself blown away again.

Kate took a slow breath and released it. "Wow," she whispered and gave a little laugh.

Ten couldn't help the broad smile that spread across his features. "That was..."

Kate cut him off with another kiss pressed firmly to his lips, but just when he started to respond, she pulled away and breathed, "... very, very good."

…

"They all talk about you, you know?"

Ten shot Kate a quizzical look. "Who?"

"The other Diamonds." She grinned at the surprise that swept through Ten's eyes.

They were sitting together now, leaned up against the wall. Ten had given Kate his suit jacket when the cool of the night had caused her to start shivering, but even so, she seemed content to curl into his side a little. Kissing had eventually given way to conversation, and when Ten had finally relaxed, he had found her to be incredibly easy to talk to.

"Why do they talk about me?" Ten still looked genuinely surprised, and Kate shot him an incredulous look.

"Because you're mysterious. And dangerous." Kate grinned at him again. "And really, really good looking."

Ten shook his head, looking skeptical. "None of them even look at me," Ten protested. Then he paused, and looked into Kate's eyes again, and his voice softened. "Except you."

Kate smiled and tilted her head up, kissing him lightly on the cheek, and delighting in the slight shiver that it sent through his body.

But Ten's face grew serious. "I am dangerous, Kate." He met her eyes again, despite what would be showing in his. "There are reasons why people are scared of me."

Kate's eyes flitted away from the intensity in his, and she drew a deep breath.

"I know," she said softly, and her eyes met his again. He could see the reluctant acknowledgement in her eyes, the gravity that she didn't want to accept. But he had to wonder if she really knew how dangerous this was. If she realized what the consequences could be.

It wasn't that he was not allowed to have romantic entanglements. It certainly wasn't forbidden, in fact a great deal of the Queen's court were either married to or heavily involved with another. But he had seen, first hand, how the Queen had used that to control people – by threatening the ones they loved, or even making good on the threats. And the Queen already had his cousin as leverage over him. He didn't want Kate to be threatened (or worse) as well.

They both sat in silence for a long moment, and Ten could not help but feel like a heavy cloud had settled over them, a heavy cloud that he wanted desperately to lift.

Taking a deep breath and pushing dark thoughts aside, Ten forced a smile and asked a question he had wanted to know the answer to for weeks. "Why did you look at me?" All those weeks ago, what had made her make that first contact?

Her eyes softened, warmed again. "I was curious." Kate chewed her bottom lip and looked up at Ten through her lashes. "I'd heard a lot about you." Then the corner of her mouth quirked upward, and the playful sparkle danced in her eyes again. "And I liked what I saw."

Then Ten kissed her again, fervently, and pulled her tightly into him. She returned the kiss with equal passion, and he felt some of his loneliness melting away by the warmth of the Diamond in his arms.

"Thank you," he whispered against her mouth. He felt her lips curve into a smile, before he deepened their kiss again.

Neither Ten nor Kate noticed a bit of a shadow that, for a moment, played on the wall beside them. Or the softest of footfalls as the shadow disappeared.

…

She would admit it to herself eventually; name the emotion that played warmly in her chest.

Just not tonight. It was too early to admit it tonight.

Sighing happily, Kate slid into her bed and pulled the covers up over her head. The first light of dawn was starting to gray the sky, ending an amazing night. She only hoped to get a few hours sleep before she was expected on the game room floor.

…

He passed her in the hall outside of the game room. There were people about, so Kate just quirked the corner of her mouth again, but her green eyes sparkled. Then she brushed past him deliberately, nudging him ever so slightly.

He schooled his features, forced himself not to smile, but his breath hitched and for a moment his eyes danced.

...

"She's suspicious, Cruz."

The Nine of Clubs glared at his cousin as they walked away from the throne room. Even he could see the difference in Ten's countenance today. It shone through the cracks in his well-practiced facade.

"She didn't believe you just had too much tea," Nine continued. Usually it was Cruz, lecturing him for not being careful enough around the Queen. Nine was the one who had only narrowly, through the intervention of both Ten and the King, avoided beheadings four times. Cruz was usually the careful one. So to see him so... different, was alarming.

Ten nodded. "I'll be more careful," he agreed, and tried to banish the memories of the night before from his mind. But he couldn't quite shake the warm glow that accompanied him through the day.

They had talked, a conversation longer then any Ten had ever had in his life. They had touched, and they had kissed. It hadn't gone beyond that, but the connection he had felt had been like nothing he had ever experienced before, real emotion or tea-induced.

He had almost admitted it to himself. He had almost said it out loud. But even without the words, even without the silent admission, he knew. And he thought, even hoped, that he had seen it reflected back in her eyes.

A pleasurable shiver coursed through Ten's body again, and Nine shot him a warning look and shook his head.

...

Ten fingered the vial of Calm that his cousin had given him. Nine regularly took the tea, an effort to keep his nervousness in check around the Queen, but Ten had never had need of it. He rarely drank real emotion tea, mostly just counterfeits, believing that he had a much better chance of keeping his head on his shoulders if he could think clearly.

But with the emotions he had let himself feel the night before still radiating through his body, he knew he needed it. The Queen had been watching him closely all day, scrutinizing his every move and every look. She was sensitive to emotions, especially the ones that didn't come in the form of tea. It helped her to control those around her, and control them she did.

Taking a deep breath, he raised the vial to his lips.

…


	4. Chapter 4

…

Ten was late coming back to his room that night. He had detoured to the roof after his duties were complete, and to his delight, Kate had managed to slip away as well. It had been nearly a week since they had last both been able to sneak away and meet on the secluded corner of the roof, and though they had frequently passed in the hall, the opportunity to talk, or exchange more then a smile, had eluded them both.

The Six of Diamonds was watching Kate very closely now. Twice at the tea party, she had seen Kate, foolishly in her estimation, flirting with the Ten of Clubs. And then Kate had disappeared from the party entirely, and not shown up back at her rooms until the early hours of the morning. Kate had refused to elaborate on her whereabouts, but Six had a fair idea. And she had been monitoring Kate ever since.

Ten knew he was being watched as well. He had gotten much better at hiding his newfound emotions, or masking them with tea when necessary, and at times it seemed that the Queen had forgotten her suspicions about him. But White Rabbit suits were all over the casino, and on occasion he would notice one or another's gaze lingering a little too long in his direction. Similarly, Mad March, who had been at the casino a great deal of late, had caught his eye a few times and had smirked at him in a way that was completely disconcerting to Ten.

Tonight they had both, however temporarily, shaken their watchers, though they were aware that they could not be unaccounted for for very long without raising suspicion. Still, the feel of his Diamond in his arms, the taste of her mouth on his, to Ten made it all worth while. They didn't talk much tonight, just held each other and tended to more basic needs. And when he had pulled away, and looked into Kate's eyes, it had just slipped out.

"I think I love you."

She hadn't said it back, but her eyes had grown even more bright and a little wet, and her smile and the kiss that followed told him all he needed to know.

...

But Ten's elation was short-lived. When he opened the door to his chambers, he instantly realized he was not alone. He could smell her before he could see her, and it wasn't Kate.

The queen sent them frequently. Glamorous looking girls in overly-revealing dresses, armed with bottles of Lust. It was all a part of the Queen's game, another way that she controlled those that were closest to her. The encounters were short, and rather impersonal. The tea would be taken, they would writhe together in a fit of carnal need until the Lust was sated, and then the girl would be gone, to report to the Queen that he had been _tended to_ and was satisfied.

But after the moments spent with his Diamond, and the love he'd finally admitted to, the last thing Ten wanted was one of the Queen's minions. Especially one so obviously sent to spy on him.

"Hello Ella." Ten averted his eyes as the buxom blonde sidled her way out from behind the door and into full view, wearing a tight gold dress that barely covered her charms, and dangling a bottle of deep red Lust from her fingers.

"Hello Cruz." Ten was struck with how different his name sounded coming from her then from Kate.

He felt his body tense as Ella moved toward him. He took a step back, then another, but Ella pressed forward and the distance between them closed despite his retreat.

Ella raised the bottle of Lust to her lips and took a sip, before slowly running her tongue over her lips. Ten retreated another step, only to find his back up against a wall. And Ella moved forward, until her body was pressed against his.

She frowned slightly when he didn't relax, and when, instead of looking at her he closed his eyes. "Cruz," she coaxed, a little singsong. "Open your eyes, Cruz."

Ten finally did, but only to glare at her as she rubbed her body against his again. He was struggling to ignore the traitorous southward rush of blood or the involuntary twitch in his trousers. He did not want this.

"Have some tea, Cruz." Ella rubbed herself against him again, a self-satisfied smile curving her lips as she felt his body's response. She raised the bottle toward his lips, but she was startled when he, instead of giving in, swatted the tea away and pushed her back.

"I don't want it." Ten's throat had gone dry and his voice rasped slightly, but it was firm. "And I don't want you."

Ella's eyes widened and for a moment looked frightened. But she regained herself quickly, and stepped forward again. "The Queen insisted." She tilted her head to the side, and swilled the tea around in the bottle. "Take a little Lust, it'll relax you."

Ten shook his head and stepped away from her again.

Ella lost her patience then. Her cheeks, already flushed from the sip of Lust she had taken, went even redder and her eyes flashed dangerously. All playfulness disappeared from her voice. "You have to, Cruz. You know that."

He did know. Knew that he couldn't just reject the Queen's offering. But instead of taking the tea and giving in, he pleaded with her. "Just tell the Queen I was satisfied. Please."

Ella glared at him for a moment before spinning on her heels and stalking out of his room, slamming the door behind her for emphasis. Ten breathed a sigh of relief that she was gone, but then his legs wobbled as his nerves got the better of him, and he collapsed, shaking, onto his bed. What if she didn't tell the Queen that? What if she told the Queen that he had rejected her?

He buried his face in his hands. "You should have taken the tea," he chastised himself.

…

"Well?" the Queen snapped. "What did you learn?"

Ella looked frightened, but curtsied low before answering. "It's a girl," she stated. "He has... feelings for someone."

The Queen's bright red lips curved upward in a sinister smile. She had thought as much. He had seemed too... happy as of late. Less intimidated. Less driven down. This piece of information could prove valuable. "Who is she?" she demanded.

Ella faltered. "I don't know, your Majesty. He didn't tell me." The Queen's eyes narrowed, and Ella started to tremble.

"What _did_ he tell you?"

Ella whimpered slightly. "He didn't tell me anything," she admitted, her voice barely audible now. "He said he didn't want me." She bit her lip and looked down.

The Queen's countenance darkened in an instant. "Then what use are you to me?" she snapped. Then she waved her arm dismissively. "Off with her head!"

As the guards stepped forward and dragged a sobbing and protesting Ella away, the Queen turned to another of her servants. "Get me Agent White," she commanded. "Now!"

…

News of Ella's death rocked Ten to his core.

The Queen had said nothing to him the next morning, and at first he took that to mean that Ella had simply told her that he was satisfied, as he had requested. In fact, other then the occasional, somewhat unsettling glance, the Queen had all but ignored him all day.

It had been the Nine of Clubs that had told him the news. And by then it was too late to plead with the King to stop the execution. Ten had rushed for the nearest empty room and locked the door, before his composure failed him and he collapsed against it, the weight of guilt and fear nearly driving him into the floor.

Ella was dead. The Queen had ordered her beheaded after he had rejected her. Another wave of remorse and guilt flooded through him, followed swiftly by a wave of fear so strong that it turned his stomach.

Ella had obviously told the Queen the truth. Which meant that the Queen knew, though without specifics, that something was truly going on with Ten. He had always been obedient and had never turned away one of the Queen's courtesans before. And it wouldn't take long for her to figure out what had caused the change in him. Or who.

As careful as they had been since, he knew there were plenty of people who had seen them together at the Tea Party. No one would have particularly taken notice that night, but if questions started to be asked, someone was bound to remember who it was that was with the Ten of Clubs.

A cold hand constricted around his heart and squeezed as he realized what he had to do. It was too great a risk. He wouldn't put Kate in jeopardy like that. He had to warn her. And then he had to let her go. He was the Ten of Clubs, right-hand to a volatile Queen. Being with him was too dangerous.

A tear dripped, unwelcome from his eye as loneliness and pain encroached upon his heart again. He let it sit there on his cheek, ignored, for a long moment before finally reaching up a hand and wiping it away.

…

He couldn't find her.

Ten had written it all down in a letter. How he felt about her, how the past month had changed his life, how much he cherished the times they had managed to be together. He wrote about Ella's execution, and the reason behind it. And he wrote about the danger she was in if the Queen were to find out... and why he had to end it between them.

It wasn't a cop-out. He hoped she would realize that. It was just safer this way – safer to slip her the piece of paper then to try to steal away to talk again.

But despite running frequent "errands" through common rooms and past the game room floor, he hadn't caught sight of the green-eyed Four of Diamonds. And the longer he looked, the more unsettled he became.

In the end, he had caught up, instead, with her friend, the Six of Diamonds. Six had eyed him warily when he had handed her the letter, asked her to give it to Kate, and pleaded with her to ensure it didn't fall into the wrong hands. Six had reluctantly agreed and hurried away from him as quickly as possible, not looking back.

He took another dose of Calm before he returned to the throne room. It wouldn't do for the Queen to pick up on his heightened emotions, even if they were negative ones.

…

The Queen was sitting on her throne on the dais, the King sitting below her on a much smaller throne. The long table before them was lined with Aces, the Cards of her council. And as always, courtiers of every description milled along the walls, making agreeable noises to everything she said.

Her face lit up when she caught sight of Ten, and she half-rose from her throne.

"Number Ten," she called out. "How are you today?" Her smile was anything but pleasant, rather it seemed much more like that of a crocodile ready to devour. He was instantly on his guard, even moreso when he saw the King glance at him and shift uncomfortably.

But he plastered a smile onto his face as he gave a quick bow. "I am very well, your Majesty." Any other response in the Queen's presence was unacceptable, and he knew it.

She nodded at his appropriate response, and motioned for him to come take the drink she was holding. Then she turned back toward the council and continued her address to them.

But that facade lasted only for a moment. The doors of the throne room flew open, and Mad March strode in, flanked by two White Rabbit suits. His eyes lit on Ten and he smirked again, his eyes flashing darkly, before turning and nodding to the Queen.

The Queen looked absolutely gleeful. "Bring her in," she commanded. Then she turned to Ten, and took the long fluted glass from his hand. Her eyes glinted treacherously. "Number Ten, I don't believe you've met my new pet."

A cruel smile spread across her dark red lips as Mad March stepped to the side, to reveal a very frightened looking Four of Diamonds.

…

**AN: Four chapters in and I finally manage one of my signature cliffies. Hope you're enjoying the story so far.**

**Please review. :) **


	5. Chapter 5

Never trust anyone you cannot control.

It was the first lesson her mother had ever taught her. And the Queen of Hearts had learned it, oh yes, she had learned it.

She controlled everyone. Winston, she controlled by withholding her love. He would do anything for her, anything to earn one small smile. Her son she controlled by restricting his freedom, and by the sexual wiles of a hand-picked mistress. She controlled almost everyone else by fear. Fear that her short-temper and unquestioned power would send them to the executioner's axe. The very rare person who did not fear for their own life, could be controlled through fear for someone else.

Number Ten had always been the anomaly.

He had always served her perfectly, always showed the proper respect, always done exactly as he was told. He never showed a hint of defiance or duplicity.

But he served her out of a sense of duty, much as his father had, and he had woven himself deeply into the everyday running of the casino and of Wonderland itself.

And it wasn't until the day she had ordered off his head that she realized that he did not fear her. He had simply stood there, looking slightly surprised perhaps, but not alarmed. It had nearly been enough to make her actually have sentence carried out.

But as Winston had gently and contritely reminded her, Ten was far too valuable and vital to be so casually discarded. He was right of course, but it had landed him in her bad graces for weeks.

And so she had taken to regularly threatening Ten's cousin instead. The bumbling and perpetually nervous Nine of Clubs seemed to be Ten's only weakness, his only bond. Yet, over time, even that had largely lost its effectiveness, as Winston would always step in and spare Nine's life. And it was well that he did, because, slight or not, that was the only leverage the Queen had ever had over Ten.

Until now.

"Number Ten, I don't believe you've met my new pet."

…

Ten fought against a cry of dismay that forced its way painfully up his throat. It came out sounding more like a strangled whimper – quiet, but he had no doubt that the Queen had heard it. Her wicked smile grew even wider and more predatory.

The sudden surge of emotions he felt – guilt, anguish, fear... even rage – battled fiercely against the dose of Calm that still flowed through his system, creating a strange dissonance that was at the same time both nauseating and painful. It only intensified when Kate's bright green eyes met his, fearful and pleading.

…

He would have taken any errand. Any errand at all.

Instead, he was being forced to do nothing. To stand at the Queen's side, as she fed Kate a variable cocktail of emotion teas that had his Diamond teetering on the brink of hysteria.

And Ten was feeling almost hysterical himself.

It was a game. A game he had watched the Queen play before. And he had no choice but to play along. It was all about control. Pay too much attention and the Queen would up the ante, tighten the noose, and Kate would suffer for it. Pay too little attention and the Queen might grow tired of the game and order Kate's head off.

He forced himself to look up, to meet Kate's eyes – those beautiful green eyes, now blurred with tea-haze – and hoped that she could read in his the desperate apology.

_I'm sorry Kate. I'm so sorry._

**...**

**AN: Short, I know. And sorry for the excruciatingly long update time. I'm back to working on my fanfictions though, so hopefully further (and longer) updates will be forthcoming shortly. Thanks to those who left me little encouraging prompts... much appreciated. :)**

**Please review.**_  
><em>


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Sorry for the long delay. My muse has gone missing, so have been feeling a little (lot) uninspired. Still working on my stories, though. Thanks for reading.**

...

For three days the Queen continued her game. Ten would enter the room to find Kate seated at the Queen's side. And he would have to stand by the Queen, with no errands to provide him relief, as she tormented his Diamond. Every day, Kate looked more and more frightened, and he had to steel himself against that and against every painful emotion that burned through his body despite the increasingly large doses of Peace and Calm. He would stand there, trying not to watch, but having no choice but to do just that.

On the fourth day, the game changed. He had been standing outside the throne room door for nearly ten minutes before he steeled himself enough to go in, to endure another day at the Queen's side. His hand clenched around the empty bottle of Calm, and inwardly he chastised himself for his growing dependence on the tea, before secreting it away back in his robes. Taking a deep breath, he schooled his expression and entered.

The Queen was already present, seated as usual on her large red throne, but the small chair that Kate had occupied was gone. It took him only a moment, a quick sweep of the room, to notice that Kate was still there, but was now standing among the courtiers at the side of the room. Ten wasn't sure whether to breath a sigh of relief or to hold his breath all day, anticipating the Queen's next move. He was certain she wasn't done tormenting him. She had been taking entirely too much glee from it.

The Queen handed him her glass as he approached to stand at her side, but otherwise ignored him as she began addressing the council. When the Queen's head was turned, Ten finally dared a glance in Kate's direction. She wasn't looking at him, just keeping her focus straight ahead, and tugging slightly on the hem of her dress, which was extremely short. Ten cursed himself as his gaze travelled, inadvertently, to the length of Kate's legs. He quickly turned his head away, hoping the Queen hadn't noticed. But she was still busy, addressing the council, and to his relief, there was no indication that she had seen.

Throughout the day he had managed to steal several glances over at Kate, and still the Queen hadn't seemed to notice. But Kate had kept her eyes straight ahead, not daring to look back at him. Biting his lower lip, he peeled his eyes from her for the tenth time, to notice the Queen's eyes on him. And his heart sank as a sickening smile spread across her face.

"Pretty, isn't she?" the Queen said, softly enough that Ten might have been the only to hear her. "I wonder what she would look like without a head."

Ten fought hard against the cold hand of panic that squeezed tightly around his heart, and the hot prickle of tears behind his eyes, but he couldn't stop the words that forced their way out of his mouth. "Please, no. Your majesty, please."

He knew pleading with her was the wrong thing to do. It was always the wrong thing to do. But he couldn't stop himself. The room had fallen silent, everyone's eyes on the drama unfolding on the dais, and the Queen seemed to relish the attention.

"No?" Her eyes swept the room, lighting on her new pet for a long moment before turning back to her servant, who stood trembling at her side. Then she let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Hmm, perhaps not."

Ten's breath hitched in his chest as relief flooded through him, followed swiftly by renewed trepidation. The Queen had full control now, and she knew it. And he knew that he had just made things much worse – for Kate and himself.

"Now go see if Carpenter has a new wonder for me to try yet."

Ten rushed from the room, sparing one last glance over at his Diamond. She was watching him now, her green eyes turning to liquid. And at the sight of them, he felt the first hot tear hit his cheek, and he fled.

True to her nature, the Queen did up the ante, but she waited two more days to do so. And during those two days, Ten served her all the more faithfully, and refused to steal even a single glance at the side of the room, where he knew Kate would be. And perhaps his control was what precipitated the Queen's next move.

When he entered the throne room the next morning, Kate was once again seated at the Queen's side. But it took him a moment to realize it was her and not Duchess. Her golden brown hair had been bleached to an unnatural shade of blonde. Her face was covered in heavy makeup, and the dress she wore left more skin exposed then covered. He could practically feel the lecherous looks of the other men in the hall. But all he could do was stare in horror. Stare, until he noticed the Queen watching him. Then he forced a neutral expression and made his way up to her side.

He struggled, throughout the day, not to look at the new Kate. Struggled to picture her instead as she had been, on the roof that night, barefoot, the moonlight making her skin almost seem to glow. The feel of her light brown hair against his fingers. Struggled not to let those images slip away.

She looks like Duchess, he thought, miserably, as his eyes were unwillingly drawn to his Diamond again. Duchess. Ten tried in vain to remember what Duchess had looked like, before the Queen had taken her and turned her into a tool to control her son.

The way she had turned Kate...

He looked away sharply, refusing to look back.

...

He could scarcely drag himself out of bed the next morning. He had spent half the night trying to figure out a way to end her game, and the other half dreading what new malice the Queen would have waiting for him in the morning.

As he had so many mornings in a row now, he reached into his cupboard and pulled out a dose of Calm, and then a second and a third. One he secreted into his robes, the other two he uncapped and downed. And he glared at himself in the mirror until the tonic took its effect. He, the Ten of Clubs, who had always been so careful to not become dependant on tea, to never enter the Queen's presence in an altered state of mind... He shook his head and donned his cap. Then he took a deep breath and headed for the throne room.

As always, his eyes quickly scanned the hall and located Kate. Today, she was again at the side of the room, rather then beside the queen, and the dress she wore was more modest – a red, white and silver diamond-motif dress similar to what she wore when she worked the casino floor.

But any relief he had changed to utter confusion, and he did a double take and stared. Her dress, which had once borne a red 4 at her right shoulder now sported a 10 in its place.

A Ten?

A card's rank could only be increased one of two ways. If a lower card married a higher card, any child born to them would hold the higher rank (and that led to many a low card trying to elevate their position through marriage). Or, if a card had the favor of a monarch, that King or Queen could grant them a higher rank. In fact, that is how Cruz's father had become a Ten, elevated from a Nine for his years of service.

But it was almost unheard of for a king or queen to elevate a card more than one rank, and never more that two. But Kate – she was now a Ten. The Queen had elevated her six stations.

And it didn't make sense. Why would the Queen made Kate his equal, dissolving any remaining taboo of courting well below one's station? What purpose did that serve in her game?

His eyes travelled, in record time, from his Diamond to the Queen and then back to his Diamond again. At his confusion, the Queen merely smirked and said nothing. And promptly sent him on another errand.

...

The day had been... uneventful. Completely uneventful. Ten had been sent on multiple errands all day long, and the Queen had been as dismissive of his presence as she had always been before – only paying him mind when she wanted something. She had ignored Kate entirely, as though she were not even there. He had spent the day trying to figure out this new development in the Queen's game and failing utterly. Throughout the day, he waited for the other shoe to fall. It didn't.

Nonetheless, he was more than grateful when he was permitted to leave. His head was throbbing, and he was craving another dose of Calm, though at the moment he had none left on him. He considered going to his chambers to retrieve one, but instead he found himself in an elevator heading for the roof.

The evening air felt cold, and he wrapped his robes more tightly around his body as he made his way to the place he and Kate had always met. The first of the stars were just starting to show in the slowly-darkening sky. He slid to a sitting position against the wall, leaned his head back and took a deep breath.

It was well over an hour later when he finally left the roof, shivering and stiff from the cold, and made his way back to his chambers. But when he opened the door to his chambers, his heart fell into the pit of his stomach. He instantly knew he was not alone.

Even without seeing her, he knew who it would be. And in his heart he knew it was the Queen's cruelest barb yet.

She sidled out from behind the door, dressed in a skimpy red outfit that barely left anything to the imagination. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were hazy and she was breathing heavily – already well under the influence of Lust or Desire. And in her hand, she held a bottle of the dark red liquid.

"Kate." Her name escaped his lips as a groan.

They had only kissed, only touched. In the few brief times they had been able to steal away, it had only been to the rooftop, relatively concealed but certainly not private. And while Cruz had fantasized about their first time together, his Kate, drugged and sent as a courtesan of the Queen, was definitely not his fantasy. It was more his worst nightmare.

Kate took a few slow steps toward him, the bottle of Lust dangling from her fingers. Cruz retreated, trembling slightly. He could see the door just to his right, not even fully closed, and everything in him wanted to throw it wide open and run from this nightmare.

But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't. The Queen had killed Ella because he had rejected her. He couldn't give the Queen the chance to do that to Kate.

But still, as Kate pressed herself against his body, he took another step back. "Kate, I..." He swallowed hard as his traitorous body started to respond. Kate pressed herself against him again, and whimpered slightly.

He pushed her away, held her at arm's length. And that's when he saw it. Her beautiful green eyes were hazy and wanton, but her cheeks were wet with tears.

His heart broke and he pulled his Kate into a tight, protective embrace. She pushed herself against him again, needing the contact. He groaned as his trousers started to feel restrictive.

"Kate, I'm so sorry," he murmured into the top of her head.

He felt her pull back, ever so slightly, though her hip didn't break contact with him. "Cruz," she whimpered. "Please." She looked up at him, and raised the bottle of Lust to his lips.

Cruz reluctantly swallowed, feeling the heat as the tea flowed down his throat, igniting a fire in his abdomen that swiftly spread outward through his entire body. "I'm sorry," he managed once more, before crushing Kate against the wall and crashing his mouth into hers.

...

He came awake in the night, feeling drained and exhausted, the last of the Lust utterly spent. At first he didn't know what had woken him, but then he felt the bed dip beside him, and the feel of soft lips against his.

Something warm and wet dripped onto his face, and he heard a voice very softly whisper, "I'm so sorry, Cruz."

His eyes flew open, but she was gone.

...

**AN: I didn't want to turn this story into an M rating, but am working on an extended scene for this chapter that (if it turns out well) I will post on its own. **


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